Tunisia expels Bernard Henri Levy only 24 hours after his arrival

TUNIS (Middle East Online) – French philosopher Bernard Henri Levy was expelled from Tunisia Saturday night only 24 hours after his arrival in the country.

He was supposed to stay in Tunisia till Thursday.

His visit had provoked a storm of protests in the country. The trade union federation (UGTT) called Saturday for his expulsion from the country denouncing his role in “inciting anarchy and encouraging civil wars and terrorism in the Arab World”.

Levy was reported to have spent most of the day cloistered in a hotel near Tunis under closer police protection.

The government denied Saturday knowledge of the visit while the judiciary launched an investigation into his visit describing it as a “threat to public order”.

Alerted by Tunisian activists in France, scores of Tunisians had protested his arrival, Friday night, at Tunis Carthage International Airport.

News of his arrival spread like wildfire in social media. In their postings, Tunisians took issue with Levy’s support to Takfiri formations in the region and with his role in the NATO-led war on Libya. He was also taken to task for his unquestioning support to Israel.

The authorities and main political parties denied any intent to meet with him. Informed sources disclosed to the Middle East Online (MEO) that “BHL” was in Tunis to meet with Libyan factions in Tunis. Levy is known for maintaining close ties to Libyan Takfiri formations.

Al Chourouq newspaper which described Levy as “the godfather of civil wars” in the Arab world said “His visit to Tunis aims at provoking sedition and causing the failure of next presidential elections.”